Temiskaming Shores - city in Ontario, Canada

Temiskaming Shores is a city in Northeastern Ontario.

The city of Temiskaming Shores encompasses the towns of Dymond, Haileybury, and New Liskeard. Although a city in name, the population of "The Tri-Town Area" is quite small — just under 10,000 in 2016. However, it is the biggest community in the region, with North Bay, Timmins, and Rouyn-Noranda being the closest cities, all well over 100 km away.

Understand

History

The Ottawa River, which drains into and out of Lake Timiskaming, has been a well-travelled route from the earliest times, and served as the point of access to the Temiskaming area. Native peoples travelled this route since the earliest times. Fort Temiscamingue was established in 1695 by French explorers. In 1794 the Hudson's Bay Company established Abitibi House on Lake Abitibi, to the north. In 1886, Alexander H. Telfer led a survey trip up Lake Timiskaming and gave a report to the Temiskaming Settlers' Association. By this time, the Quebec side of Lake Timiskaming was also being settled, and steamboats, the primary mode of transportation in the area, were ferrying new settlers into the area.

William Murray (1840–1906) and Irvin Heard (1871–1956) were the first European settlers in the New Liskeard area, arriving in 1891. The settlers founded a prosperous agricultural center, taking advantage of the rich soil in the Little Claybelt region. New Liskeard was founded soon after settlers began to arrive in Dymond. New Liskeard was named after Liskeard in Cornwall, England.

Haileybury was founded in 1889 by Charles Cobbold Farr, who named the newly founded town after the Haileybury and Imperial Service College, his former school in England. Farr encouraged settlement in the area, penning his own promotional pamphlet, entitled "The Lake Temiskamingue District", in an effort to attract new settlers to the region. Marketed to settlers as prime agricultural land, Haileybury had only a handful of residents until the arrival of the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway in the early 1900s, and the discovery of large silver deposits in neighbouring Cobalt in 1903. During the Cobalt Silver Rush, Haileybury became a 'bedroom community' that served the needs of the many miners, mine owners and managers. These mine managers and owners were responsible for the construction of the row of stately homes, nicknamed 'Millionaire's Row' that stretched along the waterfront on what is now Lakeshore Road, many of which still stand today.

Dymond still functions largely as an agricultural centre, while the commercial and industrial interests in the area have mostly shifted operations to the former town of New Liskeard. Haileybury maintains its status as a judicial seat, and is also home to the new city hall. A strong link to agriculture means that Temiskaming Shores has largely avoided the boom-and-bust cycle typical of most mining- and forestry-dependent small towns in Northern Ontario. Temiskaming Shores has also become a popular retirement and recreational destination, with small retirement communities like the Bayport Village being developed in the former town of Haileybury.

Get in

By car

Highway 65 runs west from the Quebec border, through Dymond and on towards Elk Lake and Matachewan. Most will come in through Highway 11 (Trans-Canada Highway), from the south (North Bay) or north (Timmins, Cochrane).

By bus

• Ontario Northland. Operates primarily in Northern Ontario. 2022-04-23 A bus route operates between North Bay and Timmins including stops in Temagami, Cobalt, Temiskaming Shores (Haileybury, New Liskard, Dymond), Kirkland Lake, and Matheson. Timed connection is available at Matheson from Cochrane.

By plane

Earlton-Timiskaming Regional Airport (IATA: YXR), a half-hour drive north-northwest of New Liskerad, is the closest airstrip, but it does not have scheduled passenger service or customs facilities. They advertise "no landing fees for private airplanes".

The closest airports with scheduled passenger service are (IATA: YYB) in North Bay, (IATA: YUY) in Rouyn-Noranda, and (IATA: YSB) in Sudbury. No airport shuttle connects these airports to Temiskaming Shores.

Get around

Haileybury and New Liskeard are roughly 8 km apart, so a motor vehicle is key. The Temiskaming Transit bus service connects the two from 6AM to 11:15PM, hourly on weekdays and Saturdays, every 2 hours Sundays, and no service on holidays. $3.50 per adult, $3.25 for a student or senior (55+), free for children (Sep 2021). The long distance between destinations makes taxis an expensive alternative.

See

• Devil's Rock, 47.4192°, -79.605794°. Large rock formation jutting out over Lake Temiskaming on the deepest part of the lake, close to Bucke Park and other campgrounds. If you want a good view of the lake and surrounding area, it's a must-see.
• Burnt Island - an island in the middle of Lake Temiskaming that was at one time home to a few farms, but most of which have been abandoned. Perhaps not the most outstanding tourist destination, it still makes a good boat trip in summer, or a trek across the frozen lake in the winter.
• Haileybury Heritage Museum, 575 Main St, Haileybury, 47.4493151°, -79.644581°, +1 705 672-1922. Maintained by Chris Oslund, the museum contains an extensive collection of historical objects in relation to the town including old street cars which used to run in between Haileybury and Cobalt. Visitors will find out many interesting facts about Haileybury here such as the fact that it was the former home of the Montreal Canadiens when Haileybury and Cobalt each had a National Hockey League team.
• Haileybury Beach, 462 Farr Dr, Haileybury, 47.4497896°, -79.6313179°, +1 705 672-5057. Alongside the waterfront in Haileybury, there is an enclosed area which includes a layout of docks, well-sanded beach, with a giant mushroom spraying water and three parks nearby for small children, and a much larger water slide similar to those in hotels on the far side of the beach. The beach and the amenities are free to everyone.
• New Liskeard Arena & Waterfront, 75 Wellington St S, New Liskeard, 47.5069417°, -79.6720967°. Most towns in Northern Ontario make the arena their community centre whether official or not, as is the case for Haileybury, New Liskeard and Dymond. The nearest to professional hockey to be seen played in Temiskaming can be witnessed at the New Liskeard arena. Events such as commemorative matches are fairly frequent so it is good to find out in advance what is going on at the arena when you plan to travel.
• Empire Theatre, 35 Armstrong St, New Liskeard, 47.508993°, -79.671649°, +1 705 647-5363. Most people accustomed to the conventional multiplex cinemas of larger urban centres will find the theatre in downtown New Liskeard a bit of an oddity. However, it makes for an interesting activity to break up the itinerary. Usually the theatre plays contemporary films, however it also unveils local films as well, and in the summer it holds over certain films and is capable of reducing ticket costs on both old and new releases to a $2 matinee, with the inclusion of a free drink.
• Peter Grant Mansion, Albert Street & Farr Drive, Haileybury, 47.441646°, -79.626704°. The largest residential house in Canada, its construction began in 2005, though it was never completed. Today, it is abandoned in a semi-ruined state. It is private property, so visiting here is trespassing. Quiet daytime exploration shouldn't attract the ire of the police..

Do

• North on Tap, Haileybury. Featuring live music and craft beer. Early July. 2021-08-29

Buy

• Farmers' Market - Haileybury and New Liskeard each have a farmers' market which operates through the summer months selling whatever is in season. Despite having a shorter growing season, Northern Ontario supports a substantial agricultural output and visitors should take advantage of the generous prices all to common at markets. The market in New Liskeard is by the Waterfront, as is the market in Haileybury. The one in Haileybury is contained with an elaborate clock tower building which is slightly off-centre and is between the beach and the marina.
  • Riverside Farmers' Market, 1-55 Riverside Dr, New Liskeard (across from the Horne Granite Curling Club), 47.5071°, -79.6693°. May-October: Sa 8AM-noon. 2021-09-09
• Chat Noir Books, 57 Whitewood Ave, New Liskeard, 47.5087°, -79.6737°, +1 705-647-8215, chatnoir@ntl.sympatico.ca. M-Sa 9:30AM-4:30PM. An independent bookstore that sells mass-market and locally-written books, mass-market board games, and some very good coffee. 2021-09-08
• Thornloe Cheese, 999697 Hwy 11 (9km north of the Dymond city limits), 47.6459°, -79.6892°, +1 705 647-7441. M-F 6:30AM-8PM, Sa Su 8AM-8PM. Cheese made on-premises from local milk from grass-fed cows. They also sell curds, either plain or flavoured (including caramelized onion and herb & garlic), and they offer a limited selection of spreads from elsewhere in Northern Ontario. 2021-08-29
• Timiskaming Square, 883303 Hwy 65, Dymond, 47.5244°, -79.6727°. Small shopping plaza including Giant Tiger, TD Canada Trust, Dollarama, and Food Basics. Large Walmart and Canadian Tire stores are located a bit further north on Highway 11. 2021-09-08

Eat

• Gilli's Truck Stop, 997490 Hwy 11, Dymond (north of New Liskeard), 47.536253°, -79.677406°, +1 610 905-1353. M-Sa 6AM-8PM, Su 8AM-8PM. Family restaurant. Diner food in a fun setting. All-day breakfast on weekdays. 2021-09-09
• R U Hungries Food & Pizzeria, 468 Ferguson Avenue, Haileybury (at Main Street), 47.448842°, -79.635497°, +1 705 630-5151. 10AM-8PM. Good & cheap take-out pizzas, burgers, and fries. Also a convenience store. 2021-09-09

Drink

• King George Tavern, 40 Wellington St, New Liskeard (south of Whitewood), 47.507739°, -79.672395°, +1 705 647-4403. This is the spot for the younger crowd, can be quite busy Fridays and Saturdays. 2021-09-09
• 28 on the Lake (Previously named "Roosters"), 2 Cedar Avenue East, New Liskeard (shares a front door with the Waterfront Inn), 47.5059°, -79.6713°, +1 705 647-9500. M-W 11:30AM-midnight, Th F 11:30AM-1AM, Sa 11AM-1AM, Su 11AM-midnight. Popular on Thursday nights after 9PM for 'Wing Night'. 2021-09-08

Sleep

• The Auberge (previously called "Auberge Country Inn"), 200 Drive-In-Theatre Rd, Dymond, 47.537°, -79.672°, +1 705 647-6721. 2021-09-08
• Edgewater Motel, 1267 Lakeshore Road, New Liskeard (midway between Haileybury and New Liskeard), 47.4783471°, -79.6690581°, +1 705 647-8588.
• Leisure Inn, 509 Ferguson Avenue, Haileybury, 47.4461705°, -79.6314213°, +1 705 672-5084.
• Waterfront Inn, 2 Cedar Avenue, New Liskeard, 47.506°, -79.6712°, +1 705 647-8711, waterfront@ntl.sympatico.ca. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. A comfortable, clean, well-run hotel on the north shore of Lake Temiskaming. Continental-style breakfast is included in the room price. 40 rooms on two floors, but no elevator. No smoking allowed in the rooms, hallways, or lobby. 2021-09-08
• Wheel Inn Motel, 208 Armstrong Street, New Liskeard, 47.513878°, 79.671566°, +1 705-647-6116.

Connect

Rogers cell coverage is very sketchy, especially in Haileybury. Telus and Bell/NorthernTel are mostly reliable.

Nearby

• Obadjiwan–Fort Témiscamingue National Historic Site (Lieu historique national d’Obadjiwan–Fort-Témiscamingue), 47.2886°, -79.4614°, pc.obadjiwantemiscamingue.pc@canada.ca. Open mid-June to Labour Day. A 55-minute drive from downtown New Liskeard (and an eight-minute drive from Ville-Marie, Abitibi-Témiscamingue), Fort Témiscamingue National Historic Site is on the Quebec side of Lake Temiskaming. The Obadjiwan permanent exhibition describes over six millennia of the native presence in the area and two centuries of the historical fur trade. The site also has hiking trails, a pebble beach, and a set of red Adirondack chairs marking one of the best views from the park. 2021-08-29

Silver Centre

The remnants of one of the original mining settlements in Northern Ontario. Highway 567 passes through Silver Centre, continuing to another former mine site Ragged Chutes. One can see old mine ruins or a real ghost town. There's also a virtually untapped natural environment which you can go see at your own pace at any time.

Be warned that (unlike in nearby Cobalt) none of the old mine shafts are fenced off or stabilized. Also, the area remains private property. While it is possible to visit Silver Centre, simple sightseeing is discouraged.

Logging operations are ongoing in the region; in the winter the road is poor quality at best.

Go next

• Cobalt (south of Temiskaming Shores) might be an interesting day trip. The business hours of most attractions there are seasonal, so call before you go.
• Connections to Eastern Ontario, Central Ontario, and Northwestern Ontario are available from North Bay.
• It's less than a half-hour drive on Highway 65 east to Notre-Dame-du-Nord in Abitibi-Témiscamingue in Quebec. From there, one can take Route 101 north to Rouyn-Noranda or south to Ville-Marie.